Dear Konami USA,

How are you? Feeling well? Congratulations on getting Metal Gear Solid 4 to be one of the biggest selling games of the year, and good on you for making sure that Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is hitting store shelves. Now with all the pleasantries out of the way, let me cut directly to the chase. Upon reading a popular gaming blog, I came across a startling image, and I'd like you to explain yourself.

Konami, can you please explain to me as to what this is all about?

Yes, I can read, I know clearly what it is. What I want to know is why you are associated with such a project. Aren't you forgetting something?

Do you remember this Konami? No? 

This jog your memory?

If you still haven't gotten it yet, let me give you a quick history lesson. Back in the late 90's, Konami Japan (you remember them, surely) started a new brand known as Bemani - dedicated to the rhythm game genre. They released a few games, you must have heard of them. You know...Dance Dance Revolution...or was it Dancing Stage? Surely you remember that much right? It's one of the most popular and highest selling arcade games of all time - matching Sega's Daytona USA as one of the most profitable arcade games ever made.

No?

Well then, allow me to make myself more clear.

Why do you continue to ignore your past as a rhythm game manufacturer with hours upon hours of music that is stupidly fun to play, and you still own the licenses too - for terrible rhythm games that you don't even develop, farm off to terrible developers (like that whore Zoe Mode), and fill with some of the worst cover versions of some of the best songs of all time. I literally cried in pain during the horrific covers of Blitzreig Bop and All the Small things - something that I'd never thought I'd do.

I can understand why you didn't include vocals in Rock Revolution (after all - you're still trying to sell Karaoke Revolution), that much I don't mind. Disappointing, but understandable. What I do mind is your clueless and unreasonable ignorance to think that the music in the Guitar Freaks, Drum Mania, Beatmania or any of the other Bemani games. I can see why you'd think that we Westerns would find horrific covers of some of our favourite songs more preferable than he niche and esoteric J-Pop; but the point is, by the end of session of Guitar Freaks, my ears are not bleeding.

Wake up Konami, realize what the hell you're doing to yourself. Rock Revolution was a terrible idea, no-one is buying it, and you're getting terrible reviews for it, and the game SUCKS. You should have realized that when one of your producers FAILED a song they just played on stage. By comitting to this project, you're basically forsaking one of the most profitable and historic franchises that YOU are associated with, for something that was directly spawned because of your creation.

Bemani is an iconic part of Konami, just as much as Castlevania, Gradius, Track & Field and Metal Gear are. Guitar Freaks, DDR and the rest of Bemani are still copious amounts of fun. Wake up Konami and realize what you're doing to yourself. You've sold out in a big way.

Regards,

           DarthHomer.